1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to system level computer operation, and more specifically, to hardware identification measures for computer system software.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the computer industry has evolved, different versions of hardware and software have been introduced over time. For example, microprocessors, modems, and bus structures operate at much faster data rates than similar devices introduced only a few years ago. Software, one of the most rapidly developing areas of computer technology, however, often is compatible with only some versions of a particular hardware platform. In other situations, software has greater functionality with particular versions of a hardware platform than with other versions.
Because software developers generally cannot know precisely which version of a particular hardware platform will be used to run their products, software developers often write generic computer programs to run on all versions. However, modem hardware not only runs faster than in previous generations; additional features, not available on previous versions, allow functionality unimaginable by programmers only a few years ago. Software meant to run optimally across several generations of hardware cannot take advantage of specialized features of a particular hardware platform, unless those features are available on all versions. Consequently, some features cannot be accessed by software.
This lowest common denominator problem appears only to be getting more problematic. As software development moves toward cross-platform portable code (for example, on Internet-driven Java-based virtual machines) hardware platforms become less visible to the software. Some software loses backward-compatibility, engendering hostility in paying customers who have already made significant hardware investments now rendered obsolete by the quantum advance in the software evolution. Other software is marketed toward only those customers who have the latest version of the hardware platform, limiting the software""s ability to appeal to the wider market.
Software, particularly software directed to a particular virtual machine, therefore, often under-performs by failing to take advantage of functional features presented by the latest actual hardware, since the software is designed to run on any version. Alternatively, software performs with full-feature platform-specific richness, but excludes large portions of the otherwise interested software-purchasing market. Moreover, the latter type of software becomes obsolete if the hardware platform ever falls into disfavor.
Many computer systems do contain hardware-encoded revision information, encoded by placing pull-up and pull-down resistors and a shift register motherboard. The resistors have typically loaded a value into the shift register when power is applied to the system. This method is effective, but difficult to update once the computer system has been provided to an end user or even to a VAR (value added reseller). Moreover, the resistor and the shift register cost money and occupied valuable board space.
An additional problem is the difficulty of upgrading all computer systems manufactured across an enterprise. Because the resistor and register approach is a hardware implementation system, changes have required physical substitutions or changes, or other time-intensive system-by-system manipulation,
Briefly, the present invention allows manufacturing entities to place a xe2x80x9crevision indicatorxe2x80x9d in a special area of memory that cannot be altered. The revision indicator is stored in a region of memory not available to the user. The protected area is a flash memory, which must be physically removed to be reprogrammed.
A person must physically remove the memory device containing the revision indicator, place the revision indicator memory in an external device that is not part of the computer system, and apply external voltages and currents not available within the computer system to the memory in order to change the revision indicator.
When a user powers on the computer system, the revision indicator is presented to the basic input/output system or BIOS, and is available while the boot software is running. For example, the revision indicator may be presented during the installation and execution of the Basic Input Output System (BIOS), Power on Self Test (POST), and operating system.